Controller in a banding packing machine

ABSTRACT

It is an object to provide a controller in a banding packing machine which can easily set a correct condition when the controller for clamping, returning and tightening a band has a timing shifted from a predetermined timing. A controller in a banding packing machine comprises a cam shaft ( 22 ) to be rotated upon receipt of force from a driving source, a plurality of cams ( 24, 26, 28 ) provided in the cam shaft ( 22 ), a timing plate ( 45 ) provided in the cam shaft ( 22 ) and having holes ( 42, 44, 46 ) formed corresponding to predetermined positions such that a rotation position of the cam shaft ( 22 ) can be detected, and detecting means ( 50 ) for detecting that the holes ( 42, 44, 46 ) formed on the timing plate ( 45 ) reach the predetermined positions, wherein an inching mode is provided in which the rotation of the cam shaft ( 22 ) is stopped when the detecting means detects the predetermined holes ( 42, 44, 46 ) of the timing plate ( 45 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a banding packing machine andmore particularly to a controller in a banding packing machine whichcontrols to carry out cutting, welding and the like for binding a bandin a predetermined timing.

[0002] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0003] In an automatic or semi-automatic banding packing machine, a bandled from a band reel is wound upon an object to be packed and is thenclamped, and subsequently, is returned to the band feeding side and istightened. Then, a bound portion is melted by a heater almostsimultaneously with the cutting and is then bonded by means of a press.These operations are carried out continuously and instantaneously in onecycle.

[0004] In such a bonding packing machine, a control portion utilizing acam is provided to precisely carry out the operations. The controlportion controls a timing. More specifically, a plurality of cams areprovided in one cam shaft of the control portion. When the cams arerotated with the cam shaft, cam followers corresponding to the cams aremoved vertically so that a plurality of members carry out apredetermined operation. Thus, clamping, return, tightening and the likeare performed.

[0005] In the case in which a large number of operations are to be thuscarried out continuously in a short time, a band is grippedinsufficiently and the band cannot be returned sufficiently if positionsare shifted during the operation of the cam and the cam follower orduring the operation of a roller and a touch roller.

[0006] When an operation failure occurs in any of these operations in aconventional banding packing machine, it is necessary to stop alldriving operations at once and then the cam shaft must be manuallyrotated to perform banding. That is, the cam shaft should be rotated toan original position, a reverse rotation start position, a tighteningstart position, a normal rotation start position and the like on the camshaft, in order to determine whether or not related members are set in anormal position.

[0007] However, there has been a problem in that it is necessary to takea great deal of time and labor for a working of manually rotating thecam shaft at each time and carrying out slight regulation to obtain anaccurate positional relationship. Furthermore, it is hard to decidewhether or not a stop position reached after the manual rotation is anormal position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In consideration of the circumstances, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a controller in a banding packing machinewhich can slightly regulate an operation distance through an operationto be utilized for slightly regulating an operation distance by a linkoperation and can easily set a correct condition when the controller inthe banding packing machine for clamping, returning and tightening aband has a timing shifted from a predetermined timing.

[0009] In order to attain the object, the present invention provides acontroller in a banding packing machine, comprising:

[0010] a cam shaft to be rotated upon receipt of force from a drivingsource;

[0011] a plurality of cams provided in the cam shaft;

[0012] a timing plate provided in the cam shaft and having a hole formedcorresponding to a predetermined position such that a rotation positionof the cam shaft can be detected; and

[0013] detecting means for detecting that the hole formed on the timingplate reaches the predetermined position,

[0014] wherein an inching mode is provided in which the rotation of thecam shaft is stopped when the detecting means detects the predeterminedhole of the timing plate.

[0015] With such a structure according to the present invention, it ispossible to ascertain whether or not a related member is placed in apredetermined position by setting an inching mode when the hole formedon the timing plate reaches a predetermined position. In the case inwhich it is confirmed that the related member does not have apredetermined positional relationship, it is preferable that a powersource should be once turned off to regulate the position.

[0016] It is preferable that an inching mode for stopping the rotationof the cam shaft when the detecting means detects the predetermined holeof the timing plate, and an operation mode for causing the detectingmeans to detect the hole of the timing plate, thereby driving the camshaft in a normal cycle should be switchable.

[0017] If the inching mode and the operation mode can be thus switched,the inching mode is set before a first operation is carried out and itis ascertained whether or not the inching mode is set in a normalcondition. If the inching mode is set in the normal condition, theoperation mode may be exactly set to carry out a continuous operation.On the other hand, if it is decided that the positional relationship isnot accurate, it is preferable that regulation should be preciselycarried out again and the operation mode should be then set.

[0018] As described above, according to the controller in the bandingpacking machine in accordance with the present invention, it is possibleto decide, at each time, whether or not the positional relationship ofeach member is set in a correct condition in a state in which theinching mode is set.

[0019] Accordingly, it is possible to easily adjust the positionalrelationship between the members.

[0020] These objects as well as other objects, features and advantagesof the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled inthe art from the following description with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a control portionin a banding packing machine according to an embodiment of the presentinvention,

[0022]FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the controlportion according to the embodiment is assembled,

[0023]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a timing plate fixed to a camshaft, and

[0024]FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an operation for carrying outbanding by means of the control portion according to the presentembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] An embodiment of the present invention will be described belowwith reference to the drawings.

[0026]FIG. 1 shows a control portion in a banding packing machine forcarrying out an operation for clamping, welding and cutting a tipportion of a band.

[0027] In the control portion, a right presser member 2, a left pressermember 4 and a middle presser member 6 which are vertically moved by theoperation of a cam mechanism are accommodated in a support block 8, andthe support block 8 is supported between a pair of fixed plates 12 and14 through a screw member 10 or the like.

[0028] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2 a cam shaft 22 is rotatablysupported on shaft insertion holes 11 and 13 formed on the fixed plates12 and 14. The cam shaft 22 is rotated upon receipt of the force of adriving source such as a motor which is not shown. Cam followers 16, 18and 20 are attached to the lower parts of the right presser member 2,the left presser member 4 and the middle presser member 6 respectively.In addition, these cam followers 16 abut on the peripheral surfaces ofcams 24, 26 and 28 provided in the cam shaft 22. The cam followers 16,18 and 20 are pulled toward the cam side with spring 30 so that they aremaintained in the abutment state on the cams. A timing plate 45 is fixedintegrally with the cam shaft 22.

[0029] The state of the cams 24, 26 and 28 and members to be operatedbased on cams in a series of motions thereof can be confirmed by thetiming plate 45, when the cams 24, 26 and 28 supported on the cam shaft22 are rotated. For example, three holes 42, 44 and 46 are formed apartfrom each other at a predetermined interval as shown in FIG. 3. Forexample, the detection of the holes 42, 44 and 46 implies that of thestart of each step. If the ration of the cam shaft 22 is caused to standby when the hole is detected, it is possible to identify the positionalrelationship between the members for the start of a next step.

[0030] Accordingly, if the cam shaft 22 is placed in an originalposition when the hole 42 is detected, for example, it is possible toascertain whether or not the right presser member 2, the left pressermember 4 and the middle presser member 6 are set in correct conditionsat the original position.

[0031] Accordingly, if the position is correct at that time, a signalfor the original position can be output in a correct timing.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, the band B is inserted into a guide hole 48of the right presser member 2 by the driving force of a band feedingroller 50. When the tip of the band B is passed through the band arch 51and abuts on a stopper (not shown) by the driving force of the bandfeeding roller 50, the right presser member 2 is lifted to interpose theband B between the non-slip portion 49 and the slide table 34.

[0033] Thereafter, the band feeding means 50 is reversed in directionsof arrows in FIG. 4 to pull the band B. Consequently, the band B isforcibly removed from a band guide arch 51 and is wound onto an object Wto be packed. When the band B is wound onto the object W to be packed,band B is further pulled and tightened. After the band B is thustightened, the left presser member 4 is moved to an uppermost positionto interpose the binding rear end side of the band B between thenon-slip portion 3 of the left presser member 3 and the slide table 34.In this state, the binding tip portion of the band B and the bindingrear end portion are opposed to each other with a space maintainedvertically. A heater 36 is inserted in the space, thereby melting thesurface of the band B. When the surface of the band B is molten, themiddle presser member 6 is lifted to push the molten portionthereagainst and is bonded thereto. At this time, the cutting blade 40of the middle presser member 6 cuts the band B together with the rightpresser member 2.

[0034] Thus, a series of banding works are carried out. If a heater 36shown in FIG. 4 is to protrude from the side when the hole 44 isdetected, it is necessary to carry out regulation again if the heater 36is not a protruded position when the hole 44 is detected. In the presentembodiment, an inching mode is set so that the rotation of the cam shaft22 is stopped when detecting means 50 detects the hole 44. Therefore, itis possible to easily ascertain whether or not the heater 36 hasprotruded correctly.

[0035] In the banding packing machine, usually, when a power source isturned on, a normal operation is carried out to clamp, return andtighten a band and to pressure weld the band through the heater, in thatorder. Therefore, even if the heater 36 has not protruded in theoriginal position, the cam shaft 22 passes by the same position and isrotated differently from the present embodiment. In the presentembodiment, the cam shaft 22 stops rotating once, every time the holes42, 44 and 46 are detected. Therefore, it is possible to ascertainwhether or not each member is placed in a correct position.

[0036] In the control portion according to the present embodiment, thus,the inching mode for adjusting the positional relationship between themembers is provided. Therefore, it is possible to ascertain whether ornot the positional relationship has deviated during the stop.

[0037] In the correct condition, moreover, it is preferable that theoperation mode should be exactly set to carry out a continuousoperation.

[0038] Furthermore, if the inching mode and the operation mode can bethus switched, the operation mode can be set immediately to operate thebanding packing machine in a correct position. Therefore, adeterioration in productivity can be prevented.

[0039] While the embodiment of the present invention has been describedabove, the present invention is not restricted to the embodiment.

[0040] For example, while the number of the holes to be formed on thetiming plate is three in the embodiment, any number of holes may beprovided. Furthermore, the number of the cams to be provided in the camshaft 22 is not restricted to three. Furthermore, the switching from theoperation mode to the inching mode may be carried out by turning on apower switch while pressing a reset switch. Moreover, the reset switchis not restricted but another switch may be used. In the inching mode,furthermore, the operation may be stopped in each timing and the resetswitch may be pressed to proceed to a next step.

[0041] Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the presentinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of theforegoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construedas illustrative only, and is provided for the purpose of teaching thoseskilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. Thedetails of the structure and/or function may be varied substantiallywithout departing from the spirit of the invention and all modificationswhich come within the scope of the appended claims are reserved.

What is claimed is:
 1. A controller in a banding packing machine,comprising: a cam shaft to be rotated upon receipt of force from adriving source; a plurality of cams provided in the cam shaft; a timingplate provided in the cam shaft and having a hole formed correspondingto a predetermined position such that a rotation position of the camshaft can be detected; and detecting means for detecting that the holeformed on the timing plate reaches the predetermined position, whereinan inching mode is provided in which the rotation of the cam shaft isstopped when the detecting means detects the predetermined hole of thetiming plate.
 2. The controller in a banding packing machine accordingto claim 1, wherein an inching mode for stopping the rotation of the camshaft when the detecting means detects the predetermined hole of thetiming plate, and an operation mode for causing the detecting means todetect the hole of the timing plate, thereby driving the cam shaft in anormal cycle is switchable.